Twin Oaks Tribune

Here are a few highlights from some classroom visits that I got a chance to make this week, as well as a few photos I captured. I know that you are not always as fortunate as I am to see the great work of your colleagues so I thought I would share.

• Christie Bauer was helping her students through a "mapping" exercise using 'old school', paper maps in MN Studies. When I asked the students how many of them had experience looking at a map like this, about half of them raised their hands. Thanks Ms. Bauer for giving students experiences with this somewhat 'lost art' of using a map for navigational purposes.
• Paula Case taking her 6th grade through a SMART goal writing process for their quarterly reading goal and the importance of a 'quarterly' goal so that they can reset after 8 weeks. I also enjoyed hearing Ms. Case encourage her students to be honest and authentic about themselves as readers in setting these goals, a great message.
• Tami Curlo was leading students through a lesson on estimating, a very important skill that they will continue to use as future mathematicians. This was followed by some student generated ideas regarding multiplying decimals and some 'student-friendly' and simple rules to follow, as this can sometimes be a very challenging skill for students.
• Jaymi Drogseth truly understands the importance of providing the students she works with, with both verbal and visual cues on a consistent basis. Check out the cool display in picture 2 below from Ms. Drogseth's room: 'We are Here' followed with a series of options and progressions in learning such as "How to Learn Something New", "I do it/you watch me", etc.
• Allison Fasking was teaching her 7th grade scientists to "Be Wary of Perceptions" as she was teaching them about inferences and biases and how as "true scientists", they need to account for that in their work.
• Libby Daniels was utilizing an excellent video presentation to emphasize for students, the "Power of Words". For a group of 7th grade students to not only understand and appreciate the true power of words, but also to understand the different impacts of certain phrases and idioms that students may or may not fully understand, a great lesson not only as readers and writers but also as 'citizens'.
• Mary Jo Pauly helped her students create a collage to complete their silhouette self-portrait, as they work on completing their journal covers. It is always neat to see our students 'explore' who they are as people, a truly essential component of the middle school experience in all facets.

Kudos to Jane Broberg in the kitchen! On Thursday morning she put our students who are dropped off downstairs 'to work', helping her shuck corn. According to Jane it just cost a few bags of cookies... :)

Jane reported that the students were very willing to help, no surprise there, we are blessed with great kids!

I enjoyed working with our middle school BILT representatives at our meeting on Wednesday afternoon, as they shared their work and thoughts thus far in helping us develop our School Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP). We are still in the development stage of this plan and I know that many of you have already contributed to this work. At Monday's staff meeting we will give a brief status update on our plan, and then we will continue to work on finalizing it between now and October 5th (our next BILT meeting)., with the final to be shared at our October 10th staff meeting. Once again, a huge thanks to the members of our TOMS BILT who have willingly stepped up to provide leadership for this work: Holly Bartholow, Ben Ficklin, Sarah Loechler, Carrollyn Schuldt, Missy Short, Kristen Stout, and Melissa Wagner.

Position: 6th/7th Grade English/Reading

Years in the district: 4

Years in education: 4

Alma mater: University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire

Favorite middle school memory (good or bad): Bringing Brian Anderson Cherry Cokes (sort of kidding). My favorite middle school memory is eating Bosco Sticks.

Favorite quote/motto: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher

Favorite movie: When Harry Met Sally

Favorite book: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Best gift ever received (can't be birth of child): Can I say the gift of travel? My parents tried hard to give me every opportunity to travel around the world. I just have Africa left to visit.

Anything else you would like to share: I have the best coworkers in the world. Thanks for making TOMS a great place to work.

Position: 7th/8th grade Social Studies

Years in the district: 4

Years in education: 4

Alma mater: St. Olaf College

Favorite middle school memory (good or bad): I dunked my science teacher in the dunk tank at a fundraiser on the first try.

Favorite quote/motto: ""Do one thing everyday that scares you" -Eleanor Roosevelt

Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption

Favorite book: Brain Rules by John Medina...I love nonfiction reads!

Best gift ever received (can't be birth of child): It seemed like torture at the time but my parents made me take piano lessons for 12 years

Anything else you would like to share:

Position: Lifeskills paraprofessional

Years in the district: 2 weeks

Favorite middle school memory (good or bad): A rebellious spring break week that I spent crashing at different friends houses and "tearing up the town."

Favorite quote/motto: "MAKE it a Great Day!!" because your day like so much else including a challenge is greatly determined by attitude you bring to it and can be Made great if chosen to do so regardless of what it may bring.

Favorite movie: Courageous (Honor Begins at Home) 2011

Favorite book: A most-time-tested & true Love Story, written by many different hands over many centuries but with one single Author. It's sometimes referred to as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Best gift ever received (can't be birth of child): My wife's hand in marriage. --revolutionized my life :-)

Anything else you would like to share: I thank you all for the warm welcome. I have enjoyed getting to know those of you that I have met already and look forward to meeting the many more great, passionate and fun loving (based on what I saw in Eric's movie) staff and am excited to help these great kids to find and maximize their greatest potentials.

Wow, great job Twin Oaks of celebrating Constitution Day 2016. A huge thank you to Alison Zak for putting this event together and for the support of so many other students and staff, so much positive energy and enthusiasm. What a great way to celebrate this great country that we are all so fortunate to live in!

The event even gave me a chance to wear a 40-year old tie, a Bicentennial Day tie from 1976 that my father wore proudly as a history teacher. It has been hanging in my closet for a long time and today was the perfect day to "break it out".

PLHS Senior, Christina Laridaen visited Nathan Dapper's classes today and presented about her experience as a Senate Page this past summer. What a great opportunity for our students to learn about and help them see how they too can have a place in our great democracy!

"The true mission of a school is revealed by what people do, not by what they say. Therefore, educators committed to bringing their mission statements to life in their school are relentless in examining every practice, procedure, and decision and in asking, 'Is this consistent with our mission of high levels of learning for all students?' "

(On Common Ground, 2005)

Monday

• September Staff Meeting, Media Center, 2:15
• Fall Community Fest, PLHS, 6-8:30 PM

Tuesday

• WE Day for 8th grade WEB Leaders
• Washington D.C. trip meeting, HOMS Media Center, 2:15
• Problem Solving Team (PST), 3:00-4:00 Guidance Office Conference Room

Wednesday

• Laker Pride Day
• Learning Team Meetings, 2:15

Thursday

• Washington D.C. Trip meeting, TOMS Media Center, 2:15

Friday

• Infinite Campus Grade Update